Gavin Newsome. Just watched a Bill Maher episode

[dhol82]

I know he is supposed to be the next great hope of the Democratic Party.
He just looks and sounds not effective. Do not have a positive impression.
Any comments?

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I like him and saw that episode. I could not not focus on his Trump spawn hairdo. Gotta get rid of

that.

He's handsome and from what I heard, pretty bright.

[dhol82]

2. Just looked and sounded too slick.

Not impressed.

[smirkymonkey]

34. I agree, there is something about him I don't trust.

Remember, he was married to Kimberly Guilfoyle (not that that is the only reason I don't particularly care for him, but it kind of shows you a bit about his character.)

[Blue_true]

3. I view him as a John Edwards type. Good looking, but kind of an empty suit for a Democrat.

Plus, he has a history of womanizing.

[Blue_true]

4. We have solid women in the party at a national level.

I would like to see one of them take on Trump, I think she can win now.

[Warren DeMontague]

9. sure, like Elizabeth Warren.

Like Gavin Newsom, she supports long-overdue reform at the federal level on cannabis law and ending the misguided drug war.

[OnDoutside]

24. Hasn't Trump set the bar that womanizing is no big deal now ?

Did Newsome pay a couple of hookers to piss on a bed ?

Perspective.

[JI7]

25. even with the personal faults he is no John Edwards as he does have substance

unlike edwards who just said whatever he thought was popular at the moment without an actual record to back it up.

and the personal stuff is from a while ago. so far he hasn't had any issues during his 2nd marriage.

[spiderpig]

26. Talks the talk, but too much baggage.

We've been through this before with Edwards, Condit and Hart.

Even though the Pugs do the same thing and worse, we can't afford to give them any ammo.

[Blue_true]

28. Democrats that say that we can overlook infidelities are insane.

Look at what happened to Hillary. She never cheated as far as can be told, but her husband's infidelities were used against her by a serial adulterer and it worked, many young Democratic voting women appeared to have stayed home or voted for a third party idiot.

[Va Lefty]

5. Have not seen Friday's show

cut the cable link a couple of months ago. Always liked Newsome. Will look for it on youtube.

[wasupaloopa]

6. We have a different brand of Dem here in CA. He was mayor of San Francisco now Lieutenant Governor.

We have an all Dem government and we get progressive things done.

If you are looking for another 70 or 80 something East Coast type he is not your guy. But if you want someone younger who has helped get a progressive agenda done look no farther.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. West Coasters are more likely to oppose things like media censorship, be pro-personal freedom

as witnessed by the West Coast leading the way on marriage equality and marijuana legalization.

[wasupaloopa]

19. Newsom married same sex couples when he was mayor of San Francisco

[Warren DeMontague]

20. I remember that.

It was leadership.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. He has led on marriage equality and cannabis legalization. He's smart and capable.

Being from the West Coast he understands technology issues, etc.

I like Newsom. I think he's one to watch. Especially if- as is likely- he's the next Governor of California.

No "e", by the way.

[BannonsLiver]

11. +1

Some of the critiques here a quite ludicrous and superficial.

[dflprincess]

15. I haven't paid too much attention to what he's done as Lt. Governor

but I recall being impressed by him when he was mayor of San Francisco.

[demosincebirth]

56. You don't do anything as Lt. Governor

[AlexSFCA]

10. our next governor

he is second only to Kamala when it comes to charisma and standing up for what matters most. Kamala would be more effective on national level.

[Johonny]

35. +1

Don't think he'll run for president in 2020 anyways. Now Jerry Brown...

[BannonsLiver]

12. We must have been watching two different shows.

[Quixote1818]

13. Very progressive leader and it's hard not to like like him. He would be very very strong. nt

[Awsi Dooger]

14. We have a weak bench and Newsome is part of it

He's been a known quantity for well beyond a decade and always a third string type, IMO. I would describe his speaking ability the same way you did.

The bench is drastically overrated here. Posters throw out names merely because the policies are excellent. That's a mere fraction of the equation. You need someone who can stand up to a brutal campaign while thriving under the scrutiny. One mistake can ruin a Democrat while Trump basically only has to get one thing right. That's the cruel reality right now. If we nominate someone like Gavin Newsome it's essentially a forfeit.

[Warren DeMontague]

16. First thing to do is spell his last name right.

I think people overthink this "magic special sauce" aspect to candidates - and underestimate the value in fighting leadership.

Newsom - no e - has that in spades.

Beyond that, our bench is anything BUT "weak".

[Blue_true]

29. You attack everyone for pointing out some flaws.

Our bench is strong, but Gavin should not be in the mix.

[Warren DeMontague]

30. I do?

Okay, if you say so.

Funny, I get attacked for questioning why bumping an otherwise only mildly impressive Massachusetts Representative to the front of the leadership discussion because he has an famous last name, doesn't qualify for the high quality white rich male privilege-checking we've come to otherwise expect under similar circumstances.

Odd.

But, you know, I'm just pointing out some flaws.

Newsom's got flaws, too. But he's also demonstrated real leadership by being unafraid to get ahead of the curve and do the right thing on marriage equality and marijuana legalization.

He's also likely to be the next Governor of the most populous state in the Nation and the 6th largest economy on the Planet.

So whatever I or you may decree on democratic underground, his name likely WILL be in the mix.

...like it or not.

[Blue_true]

33. The Mayor of Oakland would be a better choice for California Governor.

She has done and is doing an impressive job.

Maybe you should hop down off your purity high horse long enough to check out her history and record. But, of course, doing something like that does not fit your agenda.

[Warren DeMontague]

36. you sure seem to be an expert on who I am, what I think, and what my "agenda" is!

Anyway, I think the odds are extremely strong that Gavin Newsom is gonna be the next Governor of California. Go ahead and Check with Vegas to see what Libby Schaaf's chances are, by comparison.

And then please. Explain what sort of "purity agenda" I have in mentioning Newsom's obviously rising leadership profile. Like, Specifically.

[Blue_true]

39. You seem certain. The Oakland mayor is the best. Real voters will see that. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

40. I want to know what it is precisely about supporting Gavin Newsom that indicates "purity"

please. Be specific.

[Blue_true]

42. Your purity has nothing to do with California.

I just find you to be somewhat unyielding and argumentative and unable to admit other views may be valid. Maybe that means you are passionate in your beliefs and values, but so am I, I just roll with those convictions in a different way.

[Warren DeMontague]

43. You said, specifically, "come down off your purity horse"- in reference to Lt. Gov. Newsom.

You seem like someone who is capable of framing arguments in a logically consistent manner. So I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt that you actually had a point, there.

[Blue_true]

46. Actually Warren.

My point on purity was misplaced in that case. My reference to you being a purity type was from my reading of many of your past posts.

I don't think your support of Gavin has anything to do with purity. You seem to feel that he is an excellent public official, I don't.

[Warren DeMontague]

47. I see.

[sarcasmo]

17. Newsome will be the next Governor of California. 5th largest GDP on the Planet.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

18. My enthusiasm for Newsom for governor is minimal to non-existant

but if it is him or Tony Villar... I guess I have to go with Newsom. I like that Newsom isn't dancing around the death penalty issue the way Jerry Brown has and openly expresses his full-throated opposition but that is about it.

I don't think he has a prayer for national office, I don't think a "Bro" from San Francisco is going to open any doors to us nationally.

[mr_liberal]

21. You could completely write off the white working class, moderates, moderate independents....

He's too far left. He would lose.

[Warren DeMontague]

32. "Too Left" on what issues, specifically?

He's been criticized in SF for being too pro-business.

[spiderpig]

22. The thing that puzzles me is his ex-marriage to that right-wing flake

Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Infidelities, I can look the other way (cough - JFK - cough), but what led him to tie a legal knot with that dink?

[RhodeIslandOne]

23. She's probably bitter against liberals because of him

But, she probably also plays right winger on TV for FAUX and likely isn't that awful in real life.

[Warren DeMontague]

31. I don't think she was terribly ideological until FOX offered her a job.

I don't remember her being a right-winger back in the day.

Flake, maybe.

[MFM008]

27. I don't know yet

I supported Hillary BEFORE Obama in 2008 until he dazzled me with the speech in Iowa.
I think the one where he said" We were the change we were looking for..."
Newsom has yet to fire us up.

[geek tragedy]

37. tertiary figure for the national party

Plus he had an affair with the wife of his closest aide. That's just lower than low.

[Warren DeMontague]

38. I doubt you're gonna be able to call the prominent governor of the 6th largest economy on Earth

"tertiary" for much longer.

But we'll see.

[geek tragedy]

49. When he's governor, he's governor.

Not until then

[Blue_true]

41. Yeah, I don't see him rising to national prominence.

There are leaders in California that have more leadership capability and are proving it. The proof in the pudding will be if there is a primary and Jerry Brown don't endorse him, that would speak volumes. I prefer the Mayor of Oakland, a real proven leader in a city that is moving along well. Hell, I even prefer the Mayor of LA over Gavin.

[Warren DeMontague]

45. I'm not sure why non-Californians imagine that theres some groundswell in the party against the guy

Jerry Brown may stay out of the primary endorsement process just as, for instance, Barack Obama stayed out of the 2016 presidential one.

Still, Newsom is the Lt. Governor of the state. He's very logically positioned for the office.

I don't understand the reflexive "anti" stuff. Yes, Newsom has had pants problems in the past. That's about it.

It can't be about cannabis, I mean the mentioned Mayor of Oakland recently appeared with Newsom at a conference for cannabusiness. If people are flailing around for a prohibitionist to win statewide in California, they should go back to the East Coast and commiserate over lowbrow bong jokes with the dwindling ranks of that position. They're not gonna find much traction out here. Not even in Oakland, lol.

It can't be that Newsom is associated with "berniebros"- if anything, he's considered to be from the pro-business wing of the party. He was an EARLY endorser of HRC.

So, really, it's odd. "good teeth and hair" seems to be the most pressing complaint.

[Blue_true]

48. This is my take.

Him having an affair with the wife of a close friend and aide says a lot about his character to me.

You can take my word or not take my word. I am an attractive guy and have had plenty of chances to have sex with the wives or girlfriends of friends and business associates. NEVER, not once have I done so. The reason why is the most important thing to me is my honor, sleeping with the SO of another person strips me of all honor or reason for other people to respect me.

[Warren DeMontague]

52. That's legit. I didnt like it, either.

But I have learned over the years of voting for certain prominent Democratic politicians with admirable leadership qualities who nevertheless had some failings in the personal sexual morality dept. ..to separate the two. Plus, it was a long time ago.

Still, that's a reasonable objection.

My take on Newsom, pants problems aside, is that I remember in 2004 when some prominent members of our party couldnt chuck gay people under the bus fast enough- Newsom bucked the polls and even risked the ire of national party leaders by standing up for marriage equality.

That, to my mind is leadership - doing what is right even if the polls indicate otherwise. Or maybe one could even argue that its even a different form of political expedience, but combined with the ability to look 10 years ahead, instead of backwards.

So maybe it is about purity, to some degree.

[Blue_true]

54. At that time Newsom was Mayor of San Francisco.

SF has been forward on Gay Rights since the mid eighties. So Newsom's stand on Gay Rights was not so brave, it served his local ambition. Let him go into Alabama or Georgia and look some mouth breather in the face and say gay rights are human rights, if he does that he is the real deal. My guess is he splits the baby. The simple reality is other politicians face obstacles Newsom does not.

[Warren DeMontague]

55. Of course. But there was strong pressure from the party nationally on him to tone it down.

Hell, I remember how things were here on DU... marriage equality supporters were called all sorts of names, told they "want a pony", etc.

It was ugly.

And now, it is a violation of the site's TOS to oppose marraige equalty. As it should be.

Imagine that.

[Blue_true]

57. Things change Warren.

National leaders have to think nation wide. Local leaders only have to think locally. Hugh difference is scope. National Democrats had to worry about seats in the south and more conservative parts of the country. It is tough to make national change being a minority party.

[Warren DeMontague]

59. And there are two sides to that argument, like I said.

I respect Newsom's track record on leadership even if I don't respect his past choices in terms of personal life.

[geek tragedy]

51. Not just a "pants problem"

Bill Clinton had a pants problem, but never chased after the wives of his own top aides. Trumpian level of disloyalty to do that to someone who had dedicated his career to helping Newsom.

[Warren DeMontague]

53. in some ways BC's situation was even more problematic, but I hear you.

Its an objection. And Gavin will need to address it, even though it was a while ago.

[Blue_true]

61. Warren, you keep using it was a time ago.

I think his behavior pointed up a critical character flaw, time does not fix character flaws. A person who sleeps with the wife of a close friend and loyal aide today will take kickbacks on publicly funded projects tomorrow if given the chance because of the same character flaw, doing something because you can get away with it.

[Warren DeMontague]

62. We're gonna have to agree to disagree.

I voted for Bill Clinton twice, if I had to do it over I'd do it again.

[Blue_true]

63. Look.

If it comes down to Newsom and a republican, I vote for Newsom 100 of 100 times. That still does not mean that I am happy my choice was Newsom as the Democrat.

Look, I was put off by Bill Clinton's pants problem also, but I voted for his twice and supported Hillary in every one of her races, even v Obama until Hillary conceded - then I was on the Obama wagon.

[Hieronymus]

44. I like Newsom, a lot.

[H2O Man]

50. oh

[dhol82]

58. Well, I have been hearing from both sides

My first impression was not positive. Gordon Gecko sprang to mind.
However, after hearing from his proponents, I am willing to give him a chance.
Will need to see more before I can get on board.

[Warren DeMontague]

60. When he first ran for SF mayor I thought he was a blow-dried Marina yuppie, myself.

But his leadership on stuff like marriage equality impressed me.

We'll see. He's one name, there are certainly others.